Because of his track record, draft pedigree, and recent success, Gavin Williams is often considered the ace of the Cleveland Guardians. It makes sense: the guy posted a 3.06 ERA last year despite leading the league in walks and is at 3.07 this season after considerably improving his control.
However, you can say that left-hander Parker Messick has been slightly better than Williams in the 2026 campaign. After impressing last year in a short cameo, the crafty southpaw is throwing harder and has developed into a reliable frontline arm, giving the rotation a much-needed boost.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked the top rookies so far in MLB, and Messick was third on the list. That’s an impressive achievement, and it speaks volumes about how the rest of the league sees him.
“After logging a 2.72 ERA in 39.2 innings over seven starts last season, Messick still had to win a spot in the Opening Day rotation this spring. Now he looks like a legitimate All-Star candidate, and his 3.02 FIP and an elite 44.7 percent whiff rate on his changeup both point to sustainable success,” Reuter wrote.
Reuter discusses a very important point about Messick’s performance so far: it is sustainable and far from a mirage. His average fastball velocity is 93.8 mph, a tick harder than last year but still below the league average. Why is he so effective? Well, it’s a combination of factors.
The first and most important one is that incredible changeup that Reuter references. It generates an amazing 44.7 percent whiff rate, which means roughly a swing and a miss every two swings.
The command is impressive, and his delivery is deceptive. All those traits have given Messick a 2.21 ERA that ranks third in the American League among qualified pitchers, and seventh in the league as a whole. He is doing things that only elite hurlers in the history of the game have done.
Messick does look like a legitimate All-Star candidate, and if he manages to keep this up, he will find himself on a lot of AL Rookie of the Year ballots. Don’t be surprised if he beats a very talented crew of rookies and takes home the coveted piece of hardware.
The Guardians are very pleased with Messick’s career path to this point. He will be a key cog in their rotation for years to come.
NEXT: Joey Cantillo Has High Praise For Guardians Veteran After Yankees Win
